Electric switch.



F. W. SMITH.

ELEUTEIU SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED PBBJ25, 1909.

Pat ented Mar. 15, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIGJ.

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7 l/WENTOR M/IC. @Arrmqu WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

FRANK W. SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.-

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

To all 'wham'it may concem:

Beit known that I, FRA K W. SMITH, a' citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches,of which the followin is a specification.

The invention relates to electric switches and consists in the improvedconstruction hereinafter set forth, wherein a switch arm normallybreaking circuitby gravity is moved into circuit closingposition by asolenoid and mechanically there retained by a link mechanism, which maybe released by other electromagnetically controlled mechanism to permitthe switch arm to return to normal position and so break circuit.

The invention more particularly consists in the various combinationsrecited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings.Figure 1 is a front elevation of myimproved electric switch. F ig. 2 is an electrical diagram showing thecircuit connections. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 92, :11. of Fig. 1,showing-the switch arms in circuit closing position. Fig. 4 is a similarsection showing the switch arms in position to open circuit. Fig. :i isa side elevation, and Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the roller carrying"end of the core of the main solenoid.

Similar chara -ters of reference indicate like parts.

1 is the base or back plate. 2 magnetic material secured-on said base.The frame is divided into two sections by the partition 3. In the outersection is disposed the main solenoid 4. through which and through anopening: in the lower horizontal member 5 of the frame passes the core-6. The lower end of the'core 6 is bifurcated-to receive a roller 7, thepin of which passes through said bifurcations and also throughbifurcated arms on the end of a link 8. The opposite end of link 8 ispivoted to a rod 9 which in turn is received by the switch arms 10. Thelower portions 11 of said switch arms are pivoted at 12 to the base. Theupper portions 13 carry blocks 14: insulated from said portions bywashers 15, and said blocks carry two armed spring plates 16 which aredisposed to meet'pairs of fixed contacts 17 and 18, 19 and 20. Saidfixed contacts have rods extending throu h the base, whichserve-as=binding postsor .the

Specification of Letters fatent.

the attachment of a circuit terminal.

is a frame of Patented- Mar'. 15, 1910.

Application filed February 25, 1909. Seria1' No. 480,045;

terminals 21, 22, 23, wed-attached thereto by the usual nuts. In theinner section of the frame 2 is disposed "the smaller auxiliary solenoid25, the core 26 of which passes through an opening in a horizontal intermediate frame member 27 and when the solenoid is not energized rests onthe lower horizontal frame member 5.

T he upper frame 'member 28 is detachable and 18 secured in place byscrews, as shown in Fig. 2. A headed pin 29' passes through member 28and into the solenoid i, and a similar headed pin 30 enters solenoid 25.A two armed lever 31 is pivoted in a lug on member 28 and its armsextend over pins 29 and 30.

32 is a bell crank circuit closer, pivoted at its angle toa rod 33 whichextends through the base'and serves as a binding; post for The upper armof said circuit closerhas connected to it a helical spring whichnormally keeps said arm against a fixed contact 34:, to the supportingrod of which the opposite circuit terminal is connected. The horizontalarm of bell crank 32 extends beneath a projection on lever 31. Finallyunder lever 31 is a helical spring which normally holds the arm of saidlever above pin 29 in depressed position.

The circuits, as shown in F ig. 2, are as follows: The plus and minusconductors from ma in switch A are connected to fixed contact terminals17, 19 and continue from contacts 18, 20. The minus conductor isconnected by wire a to switch lever B. A contact 0 in the path of switchlever B connected by wire I) to one terminal-of solenoid 4, the otherterminal of which is connected by wire (I to circuit closer a connectedby wire g to one terminal of solenoid29, the other terminal of which isconnected to the positive conductor in proximity to contact 20.

The operation is as follows: The main switch A being; closed, and theswitchlever B closing circuit with contact 0, the solenoid 4: raises itscore 6, lifting the end of link 8, and so swinging the switch arms 10 tocause thespring contacts '16 to meet and close circuit at the fixedcontacts 17, 18, 19, 20. As

the linkgi8-i's raised, the roller 7 runs along the straight verticaledge of a guide bar 35 which may be integral with frame 2 and extendsdownwardly therefrom for a suitable distance, after ,which it turns atright angles and is secured to the base. When the core 6 has reached thelimitof its upward movement, the link 8 stands horizontal and 35. Intaking this position, the core Glifts pin 29'thus tilting lever 31 toswing the bell crank 32 and so open circuit at 34, thus deenrgizing thesolenoid 4:. The core 6, however, cannot drop by gravity because of thethrustv of the toggle link 8 on the bar 35.

e The .positionof the parts is now as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The switchB is now shiftedto close contact at f. This energizes auxiliarysolenoid- 25 which raises its core 26 "which strikes pin' 30 andtilts'lever 31 in'thef opposite direction, thereby causing said lever topress down on pin 29. Pin 29 then pushes down core 6 of solenoid 4:which carries down the end of link- 8. As soon .as this linkis movedbelow a horizontal positioii,-its thrust against bar 28 is released, andthe core 6 freely falls-by gravity carry ing the link 8 down with itandso-retractin switch arms 10, as shown in Fig. 4. WTien the lever B'is-swung back to make contact at a, solenoid 4: is again energized andthe operation already described is repeuted.

In order to prevent sparking when the s ring contact arms 10 areseparated from t e fixed contacts, I attach to each arm by a leafspring, a wiping carbon contact 36,

Fig. 5, which when circuit is closed, meets a similar contact 37similarly supported on' thebase.

I claim:

1. In an electric switch, a pivoted circuit closing switch arm, a fixedguide bar, a link pivoted at one end to said arm and bearing at itsother end on said bar, electromagnetic means for moving the end of saidlink along said bar to carry said arm into and lock the same in circuitclosing position, and electro-' i magnetic means for releasing said arm.

2. In an electric switch, a pivoted circuit closing switch arm, a fixedguide bar, a roller movable along said bar, a link between said Iclosing arm, a link'pivoted to. said J vertical bar for guiding-saidlink and reclosing arm normally held open circuit position, a mainsolenoid, a core 7 5 roller and said arm, a solenoid, a verticallymoving core therein connected to said roller and operating toraise thesame to cause said link to move said switch arm and lock the same incircuit-closing position, a second solenoid, a vertically moving vcoretherein, and'mechanism controlled by said second solenoid core forreleasing said arm. 3. In an electric switch, a'pivoted circuit arm, a

ceiving the thrust'thereof, a solenoid, a ver-- tically moving core. for'said solenoid con.-

nec'ted at its end to said link,'a second solenoid, avertically movingcore therein, and intermediatemechanism for transmitting motion fromsaid second solenoid core to said first solenoid core to cause saidfirst core to be moved downwardly upon the'lifting of said second coreby its solenoid.

4. Iii an electric switch, a pivoted circuit y gravity in therefor, alink mechanism between said core and saidarm for moving said arm intocircuit closing position and there retaining said arin,-an auxiliarysolenoid, a core therefor, sliding pinsgent'ering the said solenoids,

a support for said pins, and a pivoted lever having opposite armsrespectively in proximityto said pins: whereby when said main solenoidcore is attracted to operate said link mechanism to move said switch arminto circuit closing position, said core: shall actuateits associatedsliding pin to tilt said lever and thereby move the other sliding ininto said auxiliary-solenoid, and therea er when circuit is closedthrough said auxiliary SOlI10l(l,'tll core thereofis attracted to ac- Ituate its associated sliding pin to tilt said lever in the reversedirection and thereby move the first named sliding pin to move the mainsolenoid core to release said link mechanism and permit said switch armto return by gravity to open circuit position.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two Witnsses.

FRANK W. SMITH.

lVitnesses: 4 M Y T. MGGARRY, GERTRUDE T. PORTER.

